


things of the past

by fullycharged



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, M/M, half of the things here are not canon bc i hate myself, then again we're talking about their childhood so uh, this is kind of sad...?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-04
Updated: 2016-09-04
Packaged: 2018-08-12 21:28:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7949788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fullycharged/pseuds/fullycharged
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s unlike him to be sentimental, he knows. But being next to Shu brings memories of the past, and thoughts he can't keep away.</p>
            </blockquote>





	things of the past

**Author's Note:**

> this is actually supposed to be for twitter's @enstars_69min... but nobody exactly writes there, so it ended up only going on ao3...

The first time Kuro noticed Shu was in kindergarten. Their classmates pointing at the kneeling boy as he held a doll tightly in his arms (How he wishes he could’ve done more than use words and his eyes— No, they were children, he had no reason to use his fists.)

He can’t pinpoint how long ago their first meeting was (It makes no difference either way, they were children, it has passed, or so Itsuki would say.)

He remembers elementary school; how Shu would hold the end of his sleeve when they approached a group of classmates they weren’t familiar with. And then Kuro would pat his head to calm him down once they were alone.

He remembers the weekends Shu would stay over simply to sew with Kuro’s mother, sew for hours long even when all she did was watch him, or cook something for them to eat (Whose mother was she again? Kuro forgets at times.)

He hates remembering middle school, the days he’d wait holding the phone as it rang on the opposite side. Or to have an old man’s voice coldly say, “Shu isn’t available right now” and yet never give him a second chance (“Stop calling, Kiryu.” The man once told him, “If I told your name to my son, he would look at me confused, there is no reason for you to call over and over,” and he believes those words, stops calling, takes his frustration and worry out with his fists, and he's not proud of the looks of admiration the juniors give him.

 _Would Icchan be proud?_ If he knew that people similar to those who laughed at them— laughed at _him_ — are now giving Ryuu-kun looks as if he's some sort of star.)

-

Kuro looks next to him, at the older self of the crybaby he more than once promised to always protect.

He knows he wasn’t able to keep that promise; Shu is colder, and cries no more, the affectionate ‘Ryuu-kun’ followed by a smile being no more than a memory.

It’s not his fault, he knows. It’s not his fault Shu’s parents decided to take him to a prestigious private school, it’s not his fault he couldn’t be there as Shu’s classmates laughed and laughed and laughed—

 _Do you hate me for that, Icchan?_ Kuro wants to ask, his eyes not leaving Shu’s concentrated face as Shu stitches the cloth.

Kuro’s right hand twitches; _Would you  smile at me warmly if I rested my palm on your head?_

_Has too much time passed?_

He’s not the same strong Ryuu-kun that Icchan always hid behind; he’s a coward, more than the times he hurt himself and cried and Icchan held him and ran his hand up and down his back.

 _He’s accepted more than a pat on the head, that’s why you’re sitting next to him now._ Kuro assures himself, and it’s true, and a calming knowledge to have.

“Icchan.” His voice lets out, against his wishes.

Shu’s hands stop their work at the sound of the old name that Kuro rarely ever lets out.

Shu doesn’t look at him, rarely do their eyes ever meet for more than two voiced out lines of speech.

_“Can I… pat your head?”_

“Where did that nonsense even come from?” Shu says, perhaps not finding anything worth the while in the (strange) request.

“Well, you see… I was remeberin’ the past, and all.”

It’s unlike him to be sentimental, he knows. But being next to Shu brings memories of the past, and thoughts he can't keep away.

“What nonsense, it’s not like you to have such thoughts.” Shu says as his arms raise the cloth again.

“However…” He quietly continues after a bit; “It would not… Be bad, per se.”

“I can do it, then?” His voice is more cheerful than he would have expected it, but he doesn't hold it back.

“…Do as you wish.”

 _Thanks, Itsuki~_ Kuro says to himself cheerfully as his hand finally finds enough courage to rest on Shu’s head.

…His hair is as soft as back then, Kuro notes soon enough, it’s as though not much has changed, except they’re both calm, and neither is in fear of being laughed at. For holding a doll or for protecting the boy with the doll.

Kuro stops running his fingers through Shu’s hair as he notices a small smile on his face; it’s not the same as in the past, warm, teeth showing and with a slight redness on his cheeks.

But it’s rewarding enough, and certainly calms the fear of being hated for every time he wasn’t there.

(Three years and a day; all of their time in different middle schools and the day Kuro returned home, only to find his father frantically dialing on the phone and Shu in a corner, his hands covering his mouth.

 _Do you hate me for that day, Icchan?_ But he knows he shouldn’t ask.)


End file.
